If you are looking for proof that Notre Dame’s resurgent season is helping with recruiting, look no further than running back Greg Bryant. The five-star, blue-chip running back, viewed by Rivals as the second best running back in the ’13 class and one of the top 20 players in the country, committed to Notre Dame this weekend, wrapping up a whirlwind recruitment that finds Notre Dame landing one of the best players in the country at one of its biggest positions of need.

On paper, landing Bryant shouldn’t be that surprising. He had built a tremendous relationship with his recruiter, Tony Alford. His father was a huge fan of the Irish, openly acknowledging the power of a Notre Dame degree, and citing talking points like graduation rates.

Yet Notre Dame saw a similar situation last year with one of South Florida’s elite prospects, Nelson Agholor. On paper, Agholor was a recruit that seemed destined for the Irish, but even with a strong relationship with Alford, Agholor decided to head to Southern Cal, his belief in the trajectory of the program as much of a factor as anything else.

In Bryant, the Irish are reaping the rewards of being one of college football’s best teams on the field, a remarkable addition to the usual benefits that are already associated with Notre Dame. Taking his official visit this weekend, Bryant was in attendance for the football program’s annual awards show, one of the strongest selling points you could show a prospect. And with nearly a dozen of his future classmates in attendance, Bryant gave the Irish his commitment.

“I came up here this weekend and liked everything I saw,” Bryant exclusively told BlueandGold.com. “I’d be a fool not to take advantage of this great opportunity. Coach Alford kept it real with me the whole time and all of that came together.”

It’s hard to find an offer list more impressive than Bryant’s, with Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma, USC, Georgia, and all the major Florida schools offering Bryant a scholarship. As a physically developed runner with a nice blend of power and speed, Bryant will immediately insert himself into a running back depth chart that could have a ton of uncertainty with Cierre Wood likely heading to the NFL along with Theo Riddick.

Bryant’s commitment gives the Irish one running back for sure in their recruiting class. Texas bruiser Jamel James is still technically a commitment, but he’s entertaining other offers and reportedly has a little bit left to do on the academic side of things, too.

After seeing much of his success come on the defensive side of the ball, Brian Kelly is starting to make some moves with offensive recruits. With a commitment to “players, not plays,” Kelly has added a key piece of personnel in Bryant.

Just another one of the perks that come with being the No. 1 team in the country.

Spring hero? Tough to find a bigger one than C.J. Prosise. With numbers low in the backfield this spring, Notre Dame’s emerging slot receiver transitioned to running back—and immediately became an X factor in 2015.

For most of Romeo Okwara’s college career, the defender’s young age was mentioned when discussing the intriguing athlete’s upside. With ideal length, more than adequate athleticism and a skill set that fit in both Bob Diaco and Brian VanGorder’s defense, it was always a wait-and-see proposition for the North Carolina native, who simply needed a few years in Paul Longo’s weight room to catch up to his age.

We wrap up our offseason look at Notre Dame’s 2015 opponents with the Stanford Cardinal. The postseason could come down to a late-season showdown in Palo Alto with David Shaw’s team trying to rebound from a five-loss season.

After a redshirt season, Quenton Nelson is ready to play. Jumping to the head of the line at a crowded (and talented) position, Nelson is taking his five-star pedigree and bringing it to the starting lineup.

This spring, you’d have probably won some money if you had Sam Mustipher emerging as the No. 2 center. But with Matt Hegarty’s departure and some failed experiments before him, it was Mustipher who was backing up Nick Martin and snapping the ball to Everett Golson in a spring game played on Notre Dame’s practice field.

Notre Dame opens the season ranked No. 11 in the preseason USA Today Amway Coaches Poll. The Irish, who finished last season 8-5, return the majority of their starting lineup, providing some context for the bullish expectations. Only Gus Malzahn’s Auburn team is ranked higher among teams that finished with five losses in 2014.

Last year, we saw what a talented freshman linebacker in over his head looked like. His name was Nyles Morgan, and the blue-chip recruit personified the second-half defensive collapse that flushed the Irish season down the drain. Want the good part? Stick around, as Irish A-to-Z continues.

When Brian Kelly plucked offensive lineman John Montelus from his hometown of Everett, Massachusetts, the Irish looked to be adding another mauler to the interior of Harry Hiestand’s offensive line. And after two seasons of reshaping his body and learning the ropes, Montelus is in a competitive two-deep, still looking for a role in this offense.

It didn’t take long for Notre Dame’s coaching staff to know they wanted to offer Peter Mokwuah. After getting a glimpse of the big-bodied defensive tackle, Brian VanGorder and Brian Kelly went to Staten Island and left with a key piece to the depth chart.

We are a little more than a week away from the start of the 2015 football season. Notre Dame released their training camp schedule on Wednesday, highlighting the key dates leading up to the season opener against Texas.

Entering his third year in the program, offensive lineman Colin McGovern hasn’t found his way into the lineup. That’s the product of a depth chart filled with other talented options, as well as McGovern dealing with injuries and position switches as he looks to find his niche.

Last preseason, Mike McGlinchey was the odd-man out along the offensive line, losing out on the opportunity to be the team’s starting right tackle. Entering 2015, he’s one of the key X factors that’ll determine whether or not Harry Hiestand’s offensive line is one of the best in the country.

With Notre Dame’s defense falling apart, second-year player Jacob Matuska was thrown into the fire, earning playing time after the first (and most of the second) line of defense went down. Let’s check on the rising junior as Irish A-to-Z rolls on.

The first recruit to join the 2014 recruiting class, Greer Martini may have been envisioned as a 3-4 linebacker in Bob Diaco’s scheme, but he very quickly showed he could play anywhere the rebooted Irish defense needed him. Irish A-to-Z keeps on keepin’ on.

While discussing Notre Dame’s “rivals” usually turns into some type of screaming hot-take opportunity, it’s undeniable that the Irish’s date with Boston College in Fenway Park is a wonderful place to renew a “rivalry” that’s gotten a lot less regular.

In his first season without his brother on campus, Nick Martin looked to make a name for himself. But 2014 was a battle for Martin, not just to escape the shadows of his All-Pro brother, but to regain his health after a lingering knee injury and a multitude of other ailments made the entire season a grind.

Ready or not, Cole Luke was thrown into the deep end in 2014, forced into a starting role after KeiVarae Russell’s August suspension. Paired with Cody Riggs as the team’s field cornerback, Luke more than held his own as a sophomore starter, taking on one of the most challenging schedules in college football, with elite receivers testing the Irish secondary nearly every week.

Looking for a sledgehammer in an offense that sometimes gets branded finesse? Look no further than tight end Tyler Luatua. The big-bodied thumper may not look like the rest of the tight end depth chart, but certainly will come in handy as the Irish do their best to transform into a run-to-win team in 2015.